William T. Elbow ’53

William was born in New York City and came to Princeton after attending Governor Dummer Academy. He left Princeton after his sophomore year and graduated from Tri-State College in Indiana with a degree in engineering after serving in the Army. He worked for 18 years in the aerospace industry and then returned to Martha’s Vineyard, where he had spent many summers while growing up.

He worked in the West Tisbury town hall for the assessor’s office and local commissions as well as for the Chilmark board of health and the Dukes County water-testing laboratory. He also worked with his wife, an island historian, on various restoration and preservation projects. It was said that he was a formidable competitor in local croquet tournaments and a free-spirited man who lived life on his own terms.

Predeceased by his wife and their son, he died Jan. 21, 2018, and is survived by a granddaughter.